September '17: Bangkok, fist full of temples

[gemelen]

As one of the goals of my vacation was getting back on healthy track, I didn't set any limits on how early I need to wake up or that I must visit all the tourist spots - just do anything that feels ok. So, I had about 12 hours of sleep and it was good :)
After short breakfast in hotel I marked few points on map as directions and walked into the city again...

It was quite sunny, hot and humid day, something at +33 in that time of the day already.
I went by the canal because it was simplest thing to walk by...





... however in daylight this water looked not so pleasant (and smelled so too, you could imagine!)




Turning point, to the right to the old town again.
It amazed me how much of pathways exists in Bangkok even in that part of the city.




Wat Traimit/Temple of Golden Buddha




and Golden Buddha himself (I did wrong by taking photo inside this part of the temple, do not recommend to repeat it even if I didn't get caught)




It was a good idea to browse old town at first - not so crowdy, less traffic, lots of interesting dated buildings




In search of fish restaurant I tried to walk where the map shown the path exists, but I ended in few dead ends full or metal/wielding workshops, repair stops




and big heaps of scrap metal, motor parts and whatever that looked like a junk for me.




KITTIES!




Very nice graffiti with elephants




Finally, time to cross Chao Phraya, muddy to such level of yellowness in this season




Er, lion, go home, you are drunk!




Nobody expects spanish inquisition... striked, portuguese church of Santa Cruz :)
There was a mass inside and lessons in a school yard of Santa Cruz Convent across the street.
I was surprised to see such a crowd of school children in catholic institution in these days.




Wat Benchamabophit/The Marble Temple
























And now, Wat Arun/Temple of Dawn from back side (as main entrance faces the river)




and from main entrance




Temple was under renovation and it was not allowed to go higher (at least temple wasn't hidden in scaffolds)




One more from the ground level




One the the guarding statues, most human-like




ХОБА!




More cats for cat-lovers




And something noteworthy on the fence




Time to return to hotel, take a shower and a nap =)
In the evening it was still crazy hot from my point of view and also we got a tropic rain, but I decided to visit Chatuchak Market anyway. I hopped into Uber and got there without any problem. Problem appeared right at the moment I went out of the car - it was too rainy even with my umbrella and I stepped in a puddle and totally sank my snickers.




You can hear the rain

I was dissapointed - it was either too late to visit shops (most of the were closed) or too early for any night life there




Just a bunch of small shops under the same roof selling everything from shirts to fake Rolex to doing tattoos and thai massage




However, there was great cafe in the middle of this disappointment, so I ordered a dinner and it was spicy as hell
Kinda salad




basil chicken with rice and omelet




and lemonade made out of roses in a heap of ice (as it served everywhere in Bangkok)




Salad IRL




chicken




and my wonderful icy subject to slurp




And of course, without tuk-tuk ride one could not claim he ever been in Asia :)

Album with all photos and videos from Bangkok.